Collection mail may be comprised of many items which are extremely difficult to process by automated equipment. Yet the need exists in mail handling systems for a device which will accept collection mail and immediately cull therefrom most thick objects such as small parcels, rolls and slugs, the last being objects of irregular dimensions which preclude their stacking one above the other. Of perhaps greater importance, the device should be able to selectively capture certain mail pieces having a preferable size, shape, or center of gravity from the moving stream of collection mail for forwarding to subsequent equipment. The number of documents captured must be limited to prevent overflow. Also, jams or other interferences with normal mail flow must be avoided.
The document selection and metering device of the present invention fulfills these requirements.